{"id":5271,"date":"2015-12-09T07:00:16","date_gmt":"2015-12-09T12:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/first2board.com\/carolinatravelgirl\/?p=5271"},"modified":"2016-02-14T11:12:40","modified_gmt":"2016-02-14T16:12:40","slug":"fantasy-flights-airlines-create-holiday-memories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/first2board.com\/carolinatravelgirl\/2015\/12\/09\/fantasy-flights-airlines-create-holiday-memories\/","title":{"rendered":"Fantasy Flights: Airlines Create Holiday Memories"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you noticed anything special taking place at airports lately? Have there been more Santa spottings? Yes, it’s the Christmas season and airlines have been geared up for their annual Fantasy Flights.<\/p>\n

One of the things I think airlines do really well is giving back, supporting \u00a0communities locally and around the world. \u00a0 Westjet has created some incredible surprise Christmas memories<\/a> for its customers. \u00a0In addition to Honor Flights for Veterans, airline employees along with\u00a0local businesses and individual volunteers, including\u00a0a few elves, donate their time to help make the holidays just a little brighter for children battling serious illness. I have been fortunate to be able to experience several of these events by just happening to be in an airport at the right time. Believe me, the smiles on the children’s faces outshine the holiday lights.<\/p>\n

The History of Fantasy Flights<\/h3>\n

The first Fantasy Flight occurred in London, England in December 1991, when United Airlines donated a 727 to fly one hundred children from an orphanage to Lapland, Rovaneimi Finland for reindeer sleigh rides and a visit to \u201cFather Christmas Village\u201d. The success of the \u201cFantasy Flight\u201d concept gradually expanded to over forty six cities, providing needy children with an experience of a lifetime.<\/p>\n

\"Sun<\/a>

Sun Country Airlines<\/strong> – Make-A-Wish Flight to the North Pole<\/em> (Photo: Mark Tlalka)<\/p><\/div>\n

Sun Country Airlines<\/a><\/strong>, based in Minneapolis, partners with Make-A-Wish Minnesota and has created a\u00a0Wishes in Flight\u00ae<\/sup> airline donation program. With this program, Sun Country Airlines and its customers are helping grant wishes for Minnesota kids. This is the\u00a0eighth year that\u00a0Sun Country Airlines has\u00a0hosted its December Fantasy Flight where children board\u00a0a Sun Country Boeing 737, and take\u00a0a \u201cFlight to the North Pole.\u201d Anyone who flies with Sun Country can donate miles to the program <\/a>to help fly children in need to necessary hospitals or doctor’s appointments.<\/p>\n

\"Snowball<\/a>

Snowball Express American Airlines\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(Photo: Snowball Express.Org)<\/p><\/div>\n

American Airlines<\/strong> is involved in many charitable efforts including Snowball Express<\/a>.\u00a0For nine years the\u00a0Snowball Express \u00a0has worked to bring \u00a0families of post-9\/11 fallen military members together for five days of fun and activities in the Dallas Fort Worth area. \u00a0American\u00a0pilots and flight attendants donate their duty time\u00a0in order to work the charter flights which bring the children and family members to DFW. \u00a0From shows to museums, games, Wild West Rodeos, American and the Dallas Fort Worth area provide memories and friendships that can last forever.\u00a0\u00a0Individuals can\u00a0donate\u00a0AAdvantage\u00ae<\/sup><\/span> miles<\/a> to Miles for All Who Serve<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0or Miles for Kids in Need.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"American<\/a>

Flight Routes for American Airlines Snowball Express (Graphic: Snowball Express.org)<\/p><\/div>\n

One of the charities that Delta Airlines<\/strong><\/a> supports is \u00a0the Foundation for Aids Research (amFAR)<\/a>, an international organization that supports AIDs and HIV research, prevention, education and advocacy around the world. Additionally Delta\u00a0supports CARE, a humanitarian organization that provides aid to the some of the world’s poorest communities. At Christmastime, at various airports, Delta also\u00a0sponsors Fantasy\u00a0Flights. Young cancer patients from Children’s Hospital in LA, St. Judes Hospital, Childrens Hospital of Atlanta and others have been able\u00a0to celebrate the holidays with a festive flight to the North Pole. Information on donating miles to help the charities which Delta supports can be found on its Donate Miles webpage.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Fantasy<\/a>

Santa Waves Goodbye (Photo: United Airlines Facebook)<\/p><\/div>\n

2015 marks the twenty second year that United Airlines<\/strong> employees volunteered their time to arrange for children and their families to board flights for a special visit to the North Pole. \u00a0Held in hangars or at airport gates festively decorated with lights and Christmas trees, the children meet Santa Claus and local celebrities, receive gifts and play games for a day of fun. United\u00a0supports many other charities including the Make-aWish Foundation, Shriners, Wounded Warriors, and Special Olympics. A full listing can be found on its Charity Miles\u00a0page.<\/a><\/p>\n

If you find yourself with a few extra miles sitting in your account, maybe you can help to play Santa for next year’s children who find themselves on a Fantasy Flight to happiness. A ‘flight’ away from their daily worries and cares.<\/p>\n

\"North<\/a><\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong>\u00a0Other airlines – Alaska, Jet Blue, Southwest – also have programs where you can donate to help with a myriad of charities and causes.<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have you noticed anything special taking place at airports lately? Have there been more Santa spottings? Yes, it’s the Christmas season and airlines have been…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":5281,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[2,420,21],"tags":[596,37,637,638,636,391],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\nFantasy Flights: Airlines Create Holiday Memories - Carolina Travel Girl<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Have you noticed anything special taking place at airports lately? 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